James Blumenfeld of the Met Opera: The Delight Is in the Details

James Blumenfeld, 55, is property master for the Metropolitan Opera in New York.

Q. What do you do as property master?

A. I’m in charge of everything from the audience seats to the furniture and draperies used in the sets, to the props the singers use. Many of the hand props are weapons. Property master is a big job; I have a staff of 35.

How many weapons do you have on hand?

The Met owns more than 5,000 swords, daggers, halberds and crossbows. I’ve categorized them by period. When designers need weapons for an opera, I take them to our armor room. I like to see their faces light up when I open the door to the armory because they’re like kids in a candy store. If I don’t have what they are looking for and there is money in the budget, I’ll purchase a new sword.

Where do you get the props that you don’t already have?

We might build them here, if they’re extremely specific, but we can find the more generic ones on the Internet, especially on eBay. We also have a relationship with some junk and antique places where we’ll send them pictures of weapons we want and they’ll put items aside for us to come and view. I drive my wife crazy when we’re in the car because if I see an antique shop or junk shop, I’ll stop in to look around.

How did you start in this job?

At 18, I wanted to work backstage for a movie studio. A relative who worked at Paramount in California got me a job there, so I moved to California from New York. I worked for a few sitcoms, but the stage technicians’ union I belonged to went on strike and I returned to New York. I got a job as a day worker at the opera house and have been here ever since. I was hired full time in 1983.

What’s your busiest time of year?

I compare our schedule to a teacher’s. We’re busiest from August to May and take time off in the summer. We kid that we have to get into opera shape after summer for the hours we work. The typical stagehand’s day, and sometimes mine, starts at 8 a.m. and ends at 10:30 p.m.

What’s your favorite part of the job?

The satisfaction I get when a production is well received. I become friendly with all the singers, and I know how hard they work. It’s nice when the audience recognizes that.

Vocations asks people about their jobs. Interview conducted and condensed by Patricia R. Olsen.